My current helmet is the IRH XR9 (pink, 7 1/4), I like it because it fits large which I need because I have a big head and thick hair. I've had this helmet for five years now, and I've always followed the five year helmet rule. Plus I've taken a lot of falls with this helmet, and the chin strap is becoming very worn so I think it's best to replace it.

I'd like some more opinions on these helmets from people who have owned/tried them. Protection is most important to me, but I'd like to know how they fit (of they're true to size), handle scratches, if they come with extra padding, etc... You get the gist!

horselovinguy

05-31-2014 05:06 PM

I do not like Troxel helmets, period.
I find them uncomfortable to wear. I guess my head is more "oval" in shape and any Troxel I have ever tried gave me a splitting headache and hurt my head to just get the thing on & reasonably fitted...no thank-you!

I have a Tipperary Sportage Helmet.

I find it very light to wear on my head. It is not hot as there is great ventilation built into it.
It is low profile, completely covers my skull, not just sits on the top. My skull is covered to the base of my skull, important to me.
The harness is very comfortable and easy to clip with gloves on or off.
It comes in many colors although I like the graphite/black and the navy best.
It is made from carbon fiber so has a different look than the shiny plastic of many helmets out there...
It also comes with extra pads for a more exacting fit and a storage bag if you need to tote it around you can easily.
It is affordable!!

I can certainly afford to spend what I want on a helmet, but this helmet meets and exceeds my needs and allows me to spend that extra $$ someplace else.
When this one needs replacing, I'll purchase another.

Good rule you have...your "5 year helmet rule"...keeps you safer as technology improves & as do safety standards!! :thumbsup:

Oreos Girl

05-31-2014 08:47 PM

I second the Tipperary. I had a troxel and thought it was fine but the Tipperary has better head coverage. I found them to run a little small. In Troxel, I needed a small, in Tipperary I have a medium with some extra padding.

bkylem

06-01-2014 09:30 AM

I'll simply say that it is all about fit. It should protect you and it should fit you.
Try as many on as you can and you'll quickly see the ones you can pass on. I tried the Tip and it just didn't sit right so I ended up buying a Troxel Spirit which seemed fine. It was really snug , but waited for it to loosen a bit. Never did. After every ride I couldn't wait to take it off because of the pressure . They described the Troxel as low profile, but if guess they typed "low" instead of "massive". It is.

On a whim, I tried a Charles Owen GR8 knowing I wouldn't buy it due to the obscene price. Tried it on, loved it, bought it. To help me mentally with the cost I broke it down to a 4year purchase: $75 a year or just $6 a month. Sounded much better that way. A tremendous fit and feels great.

Zexious

06-01-2014 10:59 AM

^Absolutely this.

If you have the means to do so, go to your local tack shop and try on both. (:

tinyliny

06-01-2014 12:01 PM

that's a slightly unfair comparison, though. The Troxel Spirit is their heaviest helmet. it's what I call their "Steam Punk" version of a western helmet. avoid, unless you like to be a bobble-head doll.

the Tipperary has a feel that is close to the Charles Owen, at a fourth the price.

dricker

06-02-2014 12:53 AM

I've had several bad falls. I suffered concussions while wearing the Troxel Sierra, but with comparable velocity falls, did not sustain a concussion with the Tipperary T2. In one of my accidents, my Troxel helmet split apart, but in a similar accident my Tipperary T2 did not even have a crack. In our area, some of the 3 day event trainers will not allow their students to wear Troxels because they fall apart. I would go with Tipperary or one of the other high end helmets. Your brain deserves it!

DuckDodgers

06-02-2014 01:27 AM

My first two helmets were Troxels, and I loved my time with both of them. The first was a Troxel Capriole, back over 10 years ago. It did its job, and then I outgrew it. Back when I was in high school I rode in a Troxel (don't remember the variety) and never had any troubles with it. It was not low profile in the slightest, but I don't know of any helmets that were at the time. Personally, I preferred a decent helmet to finding one that was as low profile as possible. I replaced it during my first year of college with an Ovation schooling helmet. Loved it. A friend of mine replaced hers with another Troxel. We both needed new helmets this year (apparently we're on a similar schedule, lol), and she bought an Ovation schooling helmet identical to mine. Tried it on, hated it, and I bought it from her. She got another Troxel.

Moral of that story? Try on the helmet you intend to buy if at all possible.